Our mission is to work together with friends and other supporters to educate the public and to bring about the abolition of the death penalty in Alabama.

It is our custom to invite recent arrivals to Holman's death row to a board meeting once they have come off single walk. It gives us the opportunity to share what we hope are some helpful insights about life on death row. The presence of today's guest was well timed as we discussed the broad national media attention to the EJI report on jury override. Courtney Lockhart is mentioned in many of the articles as his judge overrode the recommendation of 12 jurors. We wish him well.

We are very sad to announce that William "Corky" Snyder took his own life this morning on death row at Holman Prison. He had lived with severe back pain for many years.

We extend our sympathy to his family and many friends.

Corky was a valued member of our organization and a frequent contributor to our newsletter. We shall miss you, Corky, and thank you for being our friend for many years. Rest in peace! We will not forget you!

One of the points of discussion was the strong stand the Danish pharmaceutical company is taking by threatening law suits if its drug is used to execute. Concern was voiced over the lack of transparency in Alabama in all matters concerning the death penalty, including the provenance and shelf life of the execution drug. Also discussed was Sunday's upcoming meeting of the Planning Committee in Birmingham. It was noted that there had been several new arrivals on death row. See you next week! Esther

The Board discussed the positive response to our new website and to our new logo. There was much interest in the graphic by Dr. Wisely, which illustrates that although nationally death sentences are on a downward trend, in Alabama they increased during the same time period. Also discussed was how the botched execution in GA and in Alabama would become an issue with future executions. The Chairman asked Board members to direct their family and friends to our website and facebook page.

We are pleased to announce that www.phadp.org has been completely redesigned, and by a unanimous decision of the Board, Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty has adopted an new official logo! We believe these are both necessary steps in displaying PHADP as a unique organization committed to the cause for which it was founded. We hope in the days, weeks and years ahead of us these will each become visual representations of an organization dedicated to achieving the abolition of all state killing in Alabama.

The Board discussed the outpouring of support on a state, national as well as international level by so many organizations and individuals received by Eddie Powell, a developmentally delayed man, who was executed on the 16th. The Board voiced their appreciation for Senator Hank Sanders, who wrote a letter to the Governor, Respect Life of the Archdiocese of Mobile and the Alabama Psychological Association which also contacted the Governor. There were so many others!

We are very sad to announce that the State of Alabama took the life of Eddie Powell tonight at Holman Prison. Our thoughts and prayers are especially with Eddie’s family, his attorneys and many friends.

We thank all of you who wrote, emailed, faxed and called Governor Bentley on behalf of Eddie right until the very end. We know that Eddie and his family were touched by the world-wide support and it was important to him that we thank you on his behalf.